Rotary polishers and methods of making the same

ABSTRACT

Embodiments of a rotary polisher with a spindle lock to allow quick removal of the backplate are provided. In preferred embodiments, the rotary polisher comprises: a body including a neck; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck and coaxial with the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a cavity; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button coupled to a pin wherein the button and pin are aligned with the cavity and pass through an outside wall of the neck and wherein the pin is moveable in and out of the cavity.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

This application claims priority to U.S. Design patent application No. 29/615,696, filed Aug. 30, 2017, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD

The present patent document relates generally to rotary polishers. More specifically, the present patent document relates to rotary polishers and improved designs for rotary polishers for use with automobiles.

BACKGROUND

For a very long time, America has had a fascination with the automobile. In 1908, the Ford Motor Company® introduced the Model T, and brought the automobile to the masses. Since that time, America's love for the automobile has been second to none. Because of America's love for the automobile, a large market for car care has been created.

The car care market encompasses numerous products including soaps, waxes, interior cleaners, filters, buckets, sponges, sprayers and rotary polishers. Rotary polishers are used in the application and removal of wax and other polishing substances to the automobile paint surface. Although wax and other solutions may be applied by hand, this is a tedious process. A rotary polisher has a spinning head that is placed in contact with the painted surface and eliminates most of the physical labor of polishing on or off the wax or other polishing solutions.

Numerous rotary polishers exist on the market today. When using a rotary polisher, one problem is the steady application of the polisher such that the buffing is uniform. When the polishing is done by hand, the human naturally controls the level of force and keeps it even such that the polishing is done evenly. However, it is difficult to determine when using a rotary polisher how much force is being applied. One potential solution is offered by Japanese Patent Application JP2016022533A, in which a portable polisher has a meter attached thereto for displaying a torque value. Numerous other solutions are available on the market that have a readout. For example, the WEN 948 10 Amp Variable Speed Polisher has a digital readout that shows a single number, like 1 to 15 for example. This provides the user with some feedback on the speed but does not give accurate feedback. Other similar polishers that lack the required accuracy in the rotational feedback are also available.

The problem is that dividing the speed of the rotary polisher up into large RPM ranges and representing each range with a single number lacks the accuracy necessary to use the rotary polisher with the precision required. What is needed is a more accurate way to receive feedback on the rotational speed of the rotary polisher.

In addition to the ability to closely monitor the speed of the polisher, there is also a need to allow the rotating backing plate of the rotary polisher to be easily changed. Depending on the application, different size backing plates or backing plates made from different materials may be desired. The backing plate rotates rapidly when the rotary polisher is in operation and thus, existing polisher designs have cumbersome connections. What is needed is a rotary polisher that employs a securely connected with a quick disconnect backing plate.

SUMMARY OF THE EMBODIMENTS

The embodiments of the present patent document provide rotary polishers and methods of making rotary polishers. The rotary polishers disclosed herein are designed to eliminate or at least ameliorate the deficiencies of the prior designs. In a preferred embodiment, a rotary polisher is provided. The rotary polishers comprises: a body including a neck; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck and coaxial with the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a cavity; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button coupled to a pin wherein the button and pin are aligned with the cavity and pass through an outside wall of the neck and wherein the pin is moveable in and out of the cavity.

In some embodiments, the spindle includes a boss and the cavity is formed in the boss. However, a boss is not required and some embodiments may not use a boss.

Many different overall configurations maybe be used for the rotary polisher. Different embodiments may have different body shapes. In preferred embodiments, the body of the rotary polisher includes a lower handle, center portion and upper handle and the spindle is located on a bottom of the upper handle.

In most embodiments, the backplate includes a releasable surface for connection to an applicator. Applicators are often made from foam and the releasable surface is preferably Velcro or some other hook and loop releasable connector.

In many embodiments, the button used to lock the spindle is round. In many other embodiments, the shape of the button is not round and may be square, or hexagon or some other shape. Although the button may be located anywhere around the circumference of the neck, in the preferred embodiments, the button is located on a front of the neck. Locating the button on the front of the neck allows the user to easily be able to depress the button with one hand while freeing up the other hand to allow rotation of the backplate.

In preferred embodiments, the rotary polisher further comprises a spring wherein the spring biases the pin away from the spindle.

In another aspect of the present patent document, a rotary polisher comprises: a body including a bottom handle, an upper handle and a neck extending down from a bottom of the upper handle; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck and coaxial with a hole through the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a cavity; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button coupled to the neck and moveable in a perpendicular direction to a longitudinal axis of the spindle wherein translating the button towards the spindle causes a pin to be inserted into a cavity in the spindle.

In still yet another aspect of the present patent document, a rotary polisher is provided that comprises: a body including a neck; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a hole in the outside surface of the spindle perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spindle; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button and pin coupled to the neck and moveable in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the spindle wherein the button and pin are aligned with the hole.

The rotary polishers and methods of use are described in more detail in the detailed description of the drawings below.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of a rotary polisher.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top down view of the rotary polisher of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 shows a top down close up view of just the portion of the rotary polisher of FIGS. 1 and 2 that includes the digital readout.

FIG. 4 illustrates an electrical schematic of a velocity digital readout in electrical communication with the motor controller.

FIG. 5 illustrates an electrical schematic of a torque digital readout.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the spindle lock mechanism of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 8A illustrates a side view of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 8B illustrates a side exploded view of the front portion of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 8C illustrates an isometric exploded view of the front portion of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 9 illustrates a bottom view of the head portion or upper handle portion of the body of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 10 illustrates an isometric view of the head portion or upper handle portion of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exploded view of the head portion or upper handle portion of the rotary polisher of the previous figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

FIG. 1 illustrates an isometric view of one embodiment of a rotary polisher 10. The rotary polisher 10 is comprised by the body 12 and the head 14. In operation, the user holds the body 12 and the head 14 rotates with respect to the body 12. The head 14 comprises the backplate 16 and the applicator 17. The backplate 16 comprises the main portion of the head 14 and typically has a releasable coupling surface, like Velcro® for example, to allow different applicators 17 to be releasably coupled to the backplate 16. Applicators 17 may come in various different shapes and sizes. As just some examples, the applicator 17 may be, foam, cloth, rubber or any other material. The applicator 17 may also be a combination of materials such as a rubber piece designed to secure a cloth such as a microfiber cloth. In preferred embodiments, the applicator 17 has a complementary surface with a complementary releasable coupling surface to the backplate 16. In preferred examples, Velcro® may be used and different applicators 17 may be easily added or removed from the backplate 16.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the body 12 comprises three separate portions: 1.) The lower handle 18; 2.) The midsection 20; and 3.) The upper handle 22. The upper handle 22 is the portion of the body 12 coupled to the head 14.

FIG. 2 illustrates a top down view of the rotary polisher 10 of FIG. 1. As may be seen in FIG. 2, rotary polisher 10 includes a digital readout 30. As may be seen in FIG. 2, the digital readout is located on the lower handle portion 18 of the body 12 of the rotary polisher 10. In particular, the digital readout 30 is located towards the middle section 20 side of the lower handle 18. However, in other embodiments, the digital readout 30 may be located in other portions of the rotary polisher 10 including on the middle section 20 or the upper handle 22. The important thing is that the digital readout 30 is located in a position that allows the user of the rotary polisher 10 to easily view and read the digital readout 30.

FIG. 3 shows a top down close up view of just the portion of the rotary polisher 10 of FIGS. 1 and 2 that includes the digital readout 30. As may be seen in FIG. 3, the digital readout 30 is a four digit readout. Although different length readouts may be used, a four digit readout is particularly advantageous. Rotary buffers typically rotate between 300 rotations per minute (“RPM”) and 3500 RPM. To this end, a four-digit readout allows the exact RPMs to be displayed through the entire range of RPMs of the rotary polisher 10.

As may be seen in FIG. 3, a power switch 32 is located just above the digital readout 30. In preferred embodiments, the power switch 32 is located in close proximity to the digital readout 30. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 3, the power switch 32 is a slide switch. However, in other embodiments, other switches may be used.

In addition to the power switch 32, a speed increase button 36 and speed decrease button 34 are located just below the digital readout 30. In operation, the rotary polisher 10 is turned on by sliding the power switch to the on position. The user can then control the rotational speed of the head 12 by increasing or decreasing the speed using the speed increase button 36 and speed decrease button 34. In a preferred embodiment, the buttons 34 and 36 are hooked to an analog circuit such that the speed increases and decreases proportionally. As an example, holding the speed increase button 36 for a certain number of seconds may increase the speed by a proportional amount related to the time the button is depressed. In some embodiments, the amount of speed increase may accelerate the longer the increase speed button 36 is depressed. The decrease speed button 34 may work in a similar manner.

In another embodiment, the increase speed button 36 may increase the speed in block increments. For example, a single press might move the speed from 0 RPM to 300 RPM. An additional press might move the speed from 300 RPM to 600 RPM. In such an example, the speed may be increased by 300 RPM with each press of the button. The speed decrease button 34 may work in a similar manner. In other embodiments, increments other than 300 RPM may be used and different increment amounts may be combined in the same embodiment.

FIG. 4 illustrates an electrical schematic of a velocity digital readout in electrical communication with the motor controller 35. The motor controller 35 may be a microcontroller, CPU, ASIC, FPGA, or any other type of controller or programmable trip. As may be seen the various inputs and outputs of the motor controller 35 are in electrical communication with the digital readout 30. In operation, the motor controller 35 sends signals to the digital readout 30 such that the readout appropriately displays the rotations per minute of the motor on the four digit readout. The output of the speed decrease button 34 and speed increase button 36 are also fed into the motor controller 35 to signal the motor controller to change the speed of the motor. In different embodiments, the digital readout may show the torque or the velocity depending on the calculations done within the microcontroller.

FIG. 5 illustrates an electrical schematic of a digital readout that displays the velocity or torque of the motor. As may be seen in FIG. 5, the speed controller 30 includes a digital display 31. As already explained, a four-digit digital display 31 is preferred. A speed decrease 34 and speed increase button 36 are present on preferred embodiments. Note, in other embodiments the same functionality may be provided through an alternative interface such as a slide or rotating dial. Power is supplied via power supply 72. The power supply shown in FIG. 5 is 120 Volts but other values may be used. For example, some embodiments may use 230 Volts. A 230 Volt version may be useful for sale in places like Europe and Australia where 220 V is a common power supply. A stator circuit 76 surrounds the rotor 79 and carbon brushes 78. In the embodiment shown, a capacitor 74 is placed in parallel with the rotor 79. The capacitor 74 is not required for 120 V power supplies but is required for 230 V power supply embodiments.

FIG. 6 illustrates a front view of the rotary polisher 10 of FIGS. 1-3. As may be seen in FIG. 6, the rotary polisher 40 may include a spindle lock mechanism 40. The spindle lock mechanism 40 is designed to allow the detachment of the head 14 including both the back plate 16 and the applicator 17. The rotary polisher's 10 streamline configuration utilizes a spindle lock mechanism 40 for quick detachment of the head that does not require tools. As may be seen in FIG. 6, the spindle lock mechanism 40 includes a button 41. In operation, the button 41 is pressed to engage the spindle lock mechanism 40. The unique push button 41 is located at the base of the head of the rotary polisher 10 where it can be easily accessed. In preferred embodiments, the button is made of plastic and the spindle is made of metal. However, in other embodiments, the button may also be made from metal or other materials. Ideally, the spindle is made from steel or a steel alloy.

FIG. 7 illustrates an exploded view of a portion of the spindle lock mechanism 40 of the rotary polisher 10 of FIGS. 1-4. In FIG. 7, the back plate and applicator are not shown to allow the spindle 42, also known as shaft 42 or rotating shaft 42 to be seen. The spindle 42 rotates about longitudinal axis 43 and has a threaded end 44 on one end. The threaded end couples the spindle 42 to the back plate (back plate shown in FIG. 7). The opposite end of the shaft from the threaded end 44 couples the spindle 42 to the rotary polisher 10 and in particular, to the motor of the rotary polisher 10. The spindle 42 may also have a boss 47. Boss 47 is a larger diameter portion of the spindle 42 that is located between the two ends of the shaft 42.

As may be seen in FIG. 7, the housing of the rotary polisher 10 has a neck 46. The neck 46 is on the bottom side of the upper handle 22. The neck 46 surrounds and is coaxial with the spindle 42. The spindle 42 passes through the neck 46 up into the rotating polisher 10.

The spindle 42 also has a cavity 45. In the embodiments shown in FIG. 7, the spindle 42 actually has two identical cavities, one on each side such that the cavities 45 oppose each other. The second cavity 45 on the back side of the spindle 42, cannot be seen in FIG. 7. In preferred embodiments, the cavities are aligned around a circumference of the spindle 42. Although the word “cavity” is used, in some embodiments, the cavity may be thought of as a hole or slotted hole. In different embodiments, a different number of cavities 45 may be used. Anywhere from 1 to 10 or even more cavities may be used. In some embodiments, two cavities 45 may be formed by a single hole that passes through the diameter of the spindle 42. Regardless of the embodiment, at least one cavity 45 is required.

The cavity 45 in the embodiment of FIG. 7 is cylindrical in shape however, the cavity 45 may be any shape. As will be explained in more detail below, the cavity 45 preferably has a reciprocal shape to a pin or plunger activated by the button 41. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 7, the cavity 45 is bored into the boss 47 of the spindle 42. In preferred embodiments, the cavity 45 is positioned on the boss 47 because the boss 47 provides increased strength after the cavity 45 is created. The shaft of the spindle 42 has a widened center or boss 47 with two indents on it. This is where the locking pin slides into to lock the spindle 42 and prevent it from spinning. Without the boss 47, the integrity and strength of the spindle 42 would be greatly compromised when the hole or indents are added. One benefit of the design of the spindle 42 is that it allows the lock to easily slide in while minimizing wear and tear. In other embodiments, the spindle 42 may not have a boss 47 and the cavity 45 may be positioned anywhere on the spindle 42.

FIG. 8A illustrates a side view of the rotary polisher 10 of the previous figures. As may be seen in FIG. 8A, the neck 46 extends down from the bottom side of the upper handle 22. The spindle 42 is coupled to a motor within the body of the rotary polisher 22. The threaded end 44 of the spindle 42 extends down below the neck 46. In operation, the back plate, (not shown in FIG. 8A) couples to the threaded end 44 of the spindle 42 by receiving the threaded end in a complimentary threaded fastener. The spindle 42 rotating in the opposite direction to the threads of the threaded end 42 so that in operation, the back plate is not unscrewed from the threaded end by the rotation of the spindle 42.

As may be seen, button 41 is located on an outside portion of the neck 46. Neck 46 has a passage 50 that passes through the outer wall of the neck 46 and allows access to the interior of the neck 46 and the spindle 42 by the button 41. The back side or interior facing side of the button includes a pin, plunger, rod or shaft 52 that may be extended into and out of the interior of the neck by pressing on the button 41. Once the pin 52 is pushed in and the pin 52 aligns with the spindle 42 of the polisher 10, the pin 52 will lock the spindle allowing batching plates with different sizes to be easily switched. In preferred embodiments, a spring 54 biases the pin 52 and button 41 such that the pin 52 wants to return to the retracted position and only protrudes into the interior of the neck 46 when the button is pressed 41. In preferred embodiments, the pin 52 and button 41 may be made as a single entity. In other embodiments, they may be comprised of separate elements.

As may be seen in FIG. 8B, the neck 46 is comprised of two portions. The first portion is the neck protrusion 63 and the second portion is the flange 62. The flange portion 62 is a larger diameter than the neck protrusion 63. The flange portion 62 interfaces with the body 12 along the upper portion of the handle 22.

The pin 52 may be a simple cylindrical pin or may be keyed to prevent rotation. In a preferred embodiment, the pin may have a boss 64 at the end. Similar to the boss on the spindle 42, the boss 64 on the pin 52 adds important strength to the pin 52. FIG. 8C illustrates an isometric exploded view of the front portion of the rotary polisher of the previous figures. As you can see in FIG. 8C, in some embodiments, the passage, or hole, 50 may include a number of flanges or steps.

In operation, the button 41 is depressed and forces the pin 52 farther into the interior of the neck 46 such that the pin 52 engages with the outside surface of the spindle 42. The button 41 and pin 52 are vertically aligned with the same level as the cavity 45. Accordingly, when the pin 52 engages the outside surface of the spindle 42, if the shaft is rotated, the pin 52 will eventually find the cavity 45. Once the pin 52 aligns with the cavity 45, the pin 52 is inserted into the cavity 45. The insertion of the pin 52 into the cavity 45 prevents the further rotation of the spindle 42.

As one may appreciate, removing the head 14 including the backplate 16 from the spindle 42 could be very difficult if the spindle 42 was allowed to continuously rotate. This is because anytime the head 14 is spun to try and unscrew it from the spindle 42, the spindle 42 would spin in response instead of the head 14 and backplate 16 rotating against the threads. However, if button 41 is depressed and the pin 52 engages the cavity 45 of the spindle 42, the spindle 42 is now held in place and a torque on the head 14 and backplate 16 may be realized on the threaded interface. To this end, the head 14 may be easily and quickly separated from the spindle 42. Accordingly, the backplate 16 and/or applicator 17 can be removed from the rotary polisher 10 without the use of tools.

FIG. 8 illustrates a bottom view of the head portion or upper handle portion of the body of the rotary polisher of the previous figures. As may be seen in FIG. 8, a boss may also be formed on the neck 46 surrounding the button 41. This boss helps prevent the button 41 from accidently being depressed during normal operation.

FIG. 10 illustrates an isometric view of the head portion or upper handle portion 22 of the rotary polisher 10 of the previous figures. The boss 60 around the button 41 may be clearly seen in FIG. 10. In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the boss 60 does not go all the way around the button 41. In some embodiments, the boss 60 may go all the way around. However, in other embodiments like the one shown, a portion of the boss 60 at the bottom may be cut off to maintain a flat plane where the back plate 16 attaches.

FIG. 11 illustrates an exploded view of the head portion or upper handle portion 22 of the rotary polisher 10 of the previous figures. In FIG. 11, the cavity 45 may be clearly seen in the boss 47.

If a user is desirous of swapping out the back plate 16 to a different size, or for any other reason, the user can begin by placing the polisher 10 on its back. For safety reasons, it should be confirmed that the rotary polisher 10 is unplugged. The spindle release button 41, located beneath the backing plate, may be gripped with a thumb, placing the remaining figures around the metal housing. By using the thumb placed on the spindle lock button 41 to apply pressure, the spindle lock button may be depressed until it moves completely inward. Pressure should be maintained on the button 41 until the backing plate 16 spins freely. Holding the spindle release button 41 locks the spindle 42 in place so that the backing plate 16 can rotate independently of the spindle 42. With the hand not on the rotary polisher 10, rotate the backing plate 16 counterclockwise. Some resistance will be felt when turning the backing plate 16. A small amount of force is needed to get the backing plate 16 to spin. Continue to turn the backing plate 16 counter clockwise until it is fully dislodged from the spindle 42.

Although the invention has been described with reference to preferred embodiments and specific examples, it will readily be appreciated by those skilled in the art that many modifications and adaptations of the methods and devices described herein are possible without departure from the spirit and scope of the embodiments as claimed hereinafter. In addition, elements of any of the embodiments described may be combined with elements of other embodiments to create additional embodiments. Thus, it is to be clearly understood that this description is made only by way of example and not as a limitation on the scope of the claims below. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rotary polisher comprising: a body including a neck; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck and coaxial with the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a cavity; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button coupled to a pin wherein the button and pin are aligned with the cavity and pass through an outside wall of the neck and wherein the pin is moveable in and out of the cavity.
 2. The rotary polisher of claim 1 wherein the spindle includes a boss and the cavity is formed in the boss.
 3. The rotary polisher of claim 1, wherein the body includes a lower handle, center portion and upper handle and the spindle is located on a bottom of the upper handle.
 4. The rotary polisher of claim 1, wherein the backplate includes a releasable surface for connection to an applicator.
 5. The rotary polisher of claim 1, wherein the button is round.
 6. The rotary polisher of claim 1, further comprising a spring wherein the spring biases the pin away from the spindle.
 7. The rotary polisher of claim 3, wherein the button is located on a front of the neck.
 8. A rotary polisher comprising: a body including a bottom handle, an upper handle and a neck extending down from a bottom of the upper handle; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck and coaxial with a hole through the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a cavity; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button coupled to the neck and moveable in a perpendicular direction to a longitudinal axis of the spindle wherein translating the button towards the spindle causes a pin to be inserted into a cavity in the spindle.
 9. The rotary polisher of claim 8, wherein the spindle includes a boss and the cavity is formed in the boss.
 10. The rotary polisher of claim 8, wherein the backplate has a releasable surface for coupling to an applicator.
 11. The rotary polisher of claim 8, wherein the button is round.
 12. The rotary polisher of claim 8, further comprising a spring wherein the spring biases the pin away from the spindle.
 13. The rotary polisher of claim 8, wherein the button is located on a front of the neck.
 14. A rotary polisher comprising: a body including a neck; a spindle extending down from the body through the neck wherein the spindle has a threaded end extending down below the neck and wherein the spindle has a hole in the outside surface of the spindle perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the spindle; a backplate coupled to the threaded end of the spindle; and a button and a pin coupled to the neck and moveable in a perpendicular direction to the longitudinal axis of the spindle wherein the button and pin are aligned with the hole.
 15. The rotary polisher of claim 14, wherein the spindle includes a boss and the cavity is formed in the boss.
 16. The rotary polisher of claim 14, wherein the body includes a lower handle, center portion and upper handle and the spindle is located on a bottom of the upper handle.
 17. The rotary polisher of claim 14, wherein the backplate includes a releasable surface for connection to an applicator.
 18. The rotary polisher of claim 14, wherein the button is round.
 19. The rotary polisher of claim 14, further comprising a spring wherein the spring biases the pin away from the spindle.
 20. The rotary polisher of claim 16, wherein the button is located on a front of the neck. 